Jason Garrett Backs Greg Hardy Signing
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Ronald Martinez/Getty Images(PHOENIX) — Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett backed the signing of defensive end Greg Hardy on Wednesday at the NFL meetings.
Garrett said that the Cowboys in no way support domestic abuse, but after meeting with Hardy and speaking with him for over three hours, they feel they made the right choice.
“We brought him in and spent a couple days with him, so we felt like understanding who he is as a person was a critical piece to this, evaluating who he is a player was a critical piece to it, the structure of the contract was critical to it,” he explained. “At the end of the day, if we didn’t believe he could become the right kind of guy for our football team, we wouldn’t have signed him.”
Hardy could be suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after being arrested and charged with assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would not say when that ruling would happen.
“They understood that we were reviewing his case for potential discipline,” Goodell said on Wednesday. “That continues. We are trying to get as many facts as we possibly can to make the most informed decision we can so that we can uphold the standards that we put forth in our personal conduct policy. And so I expect that will conclude sometime in the near future and we’ll make a decision shortly after.”
Garrett believes that Hardy’s issues are in the past and that he can play well for Dallas.
“It’s our job to bring the best out in all these guys, as players and as people,” Garrett said. “So I think everyone understands we’re trying to build the right kind of football team with the talent level, with also who they are. It’s our job to create the environment, and it’s the player’s job to respond, and it’s our job to hold the player accountable.”
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